Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDW11120

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

Coastal Waters Forecast for Western Australia
Northern Zones: NT-WA Border to North West Cape

Issued at 1:01 pm WST on Monday 20 July 2026
for the period until midnight WST Thursday 23 July 2026.

Please be aware
Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.

Warning Information

For latest warnings go to www.bom.gov.au, subscribe to RSS feeds, call 1300 659 210* or listen for warnings on relevant TV and radio broadcasts.

Weather Situation

A ridge over central Australia maintains a moderate east to southeasterly flow over most of the north. Winds freshen mid week as a new ridge develops to the south and strengthens.

North Kimberley Coast: WA-NT Border to Kuri Bay

Forecast for Monday 20 July until midnight

Winds: Northeast to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre by early evening. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Tuesday 21 July

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres east of Kalumburu during the morning. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 22 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots before dawn then becoming variable about 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 23 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres east of Kalumburu during the morning. Swell: Northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

West Kimberley Coast: Kuri Bay to Wallal

Forecast for Monday 20 July until midnight

Winds: East to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable about 10 knots in the early afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Tuesday 21 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to southeasterly in the morning then tending southeast to southwesterly in the late afternoon. Winds reaching up to 20 knots offshore south of Broome in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 22 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots before dawn then tending south to southeasterly in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then decreasing below 1 metre during the afternoon. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 23 July

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing below 1 metre during the afternoon or evening. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Pilbara Coast East: Wallal to Cape Preston

Forecast for Monday 20 July until midnight

Winds: Northeast to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable below 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Tuesday 21 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to southeasterly in the morning then becoming variable about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 22 July

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots tending northeast to southeasterly in the middle of the day then becoming southeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then decreasing to 1 metre during the afternoon. Swell: North to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 23 July

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres during the morning. Swell: North to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Pilbara Coast West: Cape Preston to North West Cape

Forecast for Monday 20 July until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots, reaching up to 20 knots west of Onslow in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres about offshore western waters. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Tuesday 21 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore west of Onslow during the morning. Winds becoming variable about 10 knots in the early afternoon then becoming northwest to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then decreasing to 1 metre around midday. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres about offshore western waters. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 22 July

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots tending northeast to southeasterly in the morning then becoming variable about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre offshore. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 23 July

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 25 knots tending east to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots during the afternoon then tending east to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots during the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore during the morning. 1st Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre offshore. 2nd Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres about offshore western waters during the afternoon or evening. Weather: Sunny.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 7:01 pm WST Monday.

* Calls to 1300 numbers cost around 27.5c incl. GST, higher from mobiles or public phones. Marine forecasts are also available on VHF and HF radio. View the radio schedule on www.bom.gov.au/marine

Check the latest Coastal Waters Forecasts for information on wind, wave and weather conditions for neighbouring coastal zones